ATA Support :: Documentation

Use ATA Cards with your Newton

What is ATA Support?

ATA Support is a software which provides support for ATA cards on NewtonOS. It lets you use such cards to store data as on linear cards (i.e. the cards that normally work in the Newton).

However, it is a little bit more complex to use ATA cards than linear cards because the software lets you partition ATA cards. This feature was provided because when stores are mounted, every software on it is loaded and you may want to not mount a store to save memory on your Newton. Another reason is that we don't know if there was a limit here or there in the system for the size of Newton stores (there is a technical limit for linear cards set to 64 MB), and partitionning would let you use all of your card if it's bigger than this limit. Additionally, although this feature isn't available yet, partitionning could let you use your card partially for NewtonOS-native storage (with Newton Stores) and partially for other OSes storage and exchange data between both (with the card in the Newton).

Nevertheless, efforts have been made to have an interface as Newtonesque as possible.

What is Shareware?

Shareware is a distribution system for software where, in theory, the cost of development is shared among users which means a lower cost for the user. In practice, the sales are just a retribution for the effort put into the software. Besides, the software can be tried, usually with a time-limited or feature-limited version of the software.

I decided to release ATA Support as a shareware. The price of the full version is 50 EUR, but I don't expect the sales to cover more than one year of development; at least it will cover the hardware I lost when doing development (I killed two MP2x00 US) and help me acquire new hardware to improve the software or for other projects.

The software also comes as a demo version for unregistered users. The demo version can be used without any limitation and be distributed provided that the documentation and other files in the archives are not separated from the binaries. It cannot be sold, though. This version doesn't write beyond the 4th MB, but it can mount read-only partitions being larger than this and which were created with the full version. There are other minor limitations, but as a whole, the demo version can let you try the software and test if your card works with it or not.

Glossary

Before using ATA Support, there are some terms which need to be defined. If you look for better definitions for these terms or definitions for terms which I haven't put here, I suggest you to go and read the Newton Glossary.

ATA: ATA means AT-Attachment. It's an interface standard with sectors-based storage devices (usually disks). This standard is defined by the T13, a Technical Commitee, and it's used with a lot of memory cards, among other devices.
PC Cards: PC Cards is the new name for PCMCIA. It's a standard for cards. Newtons can use type I and II cards. eMates can use type III cards as well (the type of PC Cards defines their thickness).
CompactFlash, SmartMedia and MemoryStick: CompactFlash, SmartMedia and MemoryStick are other standards for cards. These cards can be used as PC Cards with an adapter.
Store: Store is a logical storage entity NewtonOS uses where data can be stored to. It's the equivalent of Volumes on MacOS. The internal memory is known as the internal store.
Default Store: The default store is the store where the Newton stores newly created data (if not specified otherwise in applications preferences). It's also where packages are installed.

About this manual

This manual supposes that you know the basis of NewtonOS when it's about basic use of ATA Support. However, some notes may refer to special features of NewtonOS or some notions which you may not be familiar with. If you have any question, don't hesitate to send me a mail at pguyot@kallisys.net.

As you probably noticed it, English isn't my mother's tongue. There can be some ideas poorly expressed here, mistakes and other errors. Please correct me and report these problems.

The screen shots used in this manual have been taken with my MP2100 US and are therefore in 16 greys and with a US operating system. There can be differences on B&W displays and on German versions of NewtonOS.

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